Rotary refrigerating machine



M. AUDIFFREN E AL ROTARY REFRIGERATING MACHINE s Sheets-Sheet 2 I Filed Oct. 23. 1928 Dec. 6, 1932. M. AUDIFFREN ETAL 1,839,817-

ROTARY REFRIGERATING MACHINE Filed Oct. 23, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet s I 21/607726 v lfarce/ flag f freq 67 H/er? Sly i Patented Dec. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES [PATENT oF1=1cE aunn rnan, or CANNES, Ann ALBERT smcnfin, or EPINAL, FRANCE ROTARY nnrmem'rme Mao Ems Application filed October 23, 1928, Serial K0. 814,508, and in France October 28, 1927.

. Our invention relates to a refrigerating machine of the rotary type and in which is provided a rotor providing two closed chambers, connected together by a common hollow 5 arbor, one of said chambers acting as a refrigerating chamber in which evaporation of a liquefied gas takes place, whereas the other acts as a condenser and includes a' compressor through the action of which the gasv is again liquefied. i

In the known machines of the same type, the gas coming from the evaporator reaches thecondenser by using a passage of the hollow shaft and reaches the compressor only after having circulated for a longer or shorter time in .contactwith the hot portions thereof.

It follows that the temperature of the gas rises and that it expands before reaching the compressor, so that the weight of gas drawn in and compressed by each cylinder is much I less than if the gas were kept colder. This is manifested by a reduction of the output of the machine.

disadvantages are avoided due -to the fact that the gas passes from the hollow shaft to the compressor through a passage formed in an I eccentric or the equivalent which directly op-' erates the compressor and which controls the intake parts thereof. Due to this arrangement the gas no longer needs to traverse more than ashort path to reach the compressor, and during this-travel, it is no longer exposed 'to' the heating effects mentioned above, so that the output of the machine is improved.

When the gas has been liquefied in the condenser by the action of the compressor, it

Q is mixed with the lubricating oil which can 8 not be separated completely enough by the usual means, which consists in decanting the mixture into a stationary receptacle located within the condenser.

In our machine this separation is effected very efiiciently, or more or less completely after decanting, by a centrifuging of the gas contaminated with oil in a rotating and cooled'compartment of the condenser. The mixture of oil and liquefied gas form a ring Inaccordance with our invention, thesev against, the internal peri hery'of this compartment due to the e ect of centrifugal force, and this same force separates thesaidring into two layers, an external'layer of p ire liquefied gas and an internal layer of 01 Into the layer ofliquefied ga s'plunges 'a stationary "tube, through which the liquefied gas traverses the layer of oil and passes to a passage in the hollow shaft to return to the refrigerator. The return-of the liquefied gas towards the refrigerator is controlled by a valve placed under the control of a leakage cup in which collects the liquefied gas returned to the refrigerator. The regulating arrangement thus formed has a great sensitiveness and assures constancy of the thickness of the ring of centrifuged liquid, which condition is essential in order that separation by centrifuging may be accomplished by the means stated.

Other details of our machine'will appear in the course of the following specification.

The invention will be more readily understood by those skilled in the art with .reference to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of the machine;

Figure 2 is a transverse section along line 22 of Figure 1; 4

Figure 3'is a transverse section along the line 33 of Figure 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 of a modi fication Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modi- I fication; and

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional detail, corre sponding to Fig. 1 and relating to a modification thereof.

Adverting to the drawings more in detail a the condenser 1 isconnected to the refrigera tor or evaporator 2 by a motor arbor 3 which is hollow throughout or through a part at In the condenser is suspended loosely on the arbor 3, a frame or housing 7, filled with oil and provided with a decantation chamber 8, balanced by a counterweight 9 (Fig. 3) which encloses a compressor of the single acting type connected in tandem shown generally at-10 and comprising two cylinders 11 and two pistons 12. The block closed by the endto-end union of the two cylinders has between the latter a circular seat serving as a collar for an eccentric 13. The said eccentric forms a rotary admission and distribution valve for the gas drawn in by the compressor, in the refrigerator, through the interior of the central tube 14 whose two extremities are shrunk or otherwise mounted in the inner walls of the hollow arbor. For this purpose the said eccentric is provided with a passageway 15 adapted to connect the periphery thereof with the channel of the hollow arbor and a groove 16 extending through only a part of the circumference of the eccentric.

By reason of this arrangement, the gas drawn through the interior of the central tube is no longer in contact with the conduits and the warm parts of the housing, as in ma-.

chines known in the art, and therefore no longer expands.

After a short course it penetrates in the cylinders 11 through a hole 17 provided in the cylinder heads thereof, which after having compressed it, pushes it through a hole 18 and an ordinary spring blade sniifing valve 19. The gas first becomes cooled, condenses, and liquefies against the cold wall of the condenser, .mixed with the oil, and continually flows through a hole 20 provided in the bottom of the casing.

Said mixture forms on the wall of the rotating condenser, a first liquid ring 21, in which is plunged a fixed scraper 22, which sends it back into the decantation chamber 8, where a first separation of liquids at rest, by reason of their difierence in density. The

. oil, which floats, returns to the casing through a hole 23, while the liquid refrigerant, instead of accumulating as usual in a stationary compartment of the housing, flows through a fixed tube 24, to the rear of a partition 25.

Said partition forms with one of the heads of the con-denser a rotating chamber in which forms a second liquid ring, which undergoes a second cooling, as well as a new and energetic separation of oilby centrifugal force. The oil being less dense than the liquefied gas accumulates at the center of said liquid ring and empties into the condenser through the central orifice of the partition 25.

In said second liquid ring plunges a fixed collector tube 26 whose upper part is situated in the zone of purified liquefied gas and presents an orifice 27 through which said liquid, in rotation and under pressure, is driven into the annular space 28, constantly full of returning liquid during running of the machine, which surrounds the central tube 14. Said space only connects with the condenser through the collector tube 26 and with the refrigerator only through the tube 30 through which return of the liquid towards the refrigerator takes place.

In some cases I may arrange the parts described thus far as shown in Fig. 6. As therein shown, the collector tube 26 gathers the liquefied gas directly in an enlargement 21 of the liquid ring 21, formedby enlarging the wall of the condenser, in which enlargement, all the liquid refrigerant accumulates after being separated from the oil by cen- 'trifugal force in conjunction with the difference in density, the admission orifice 27 of the fixed collector tube 26 being situated further out than the scraper 22 and can only therefore pick up liquefied gas, whereas the scraper 22 can only collect oil.

In either of the above cases, the liquid during its course of travel through the an nular space undergoes, before its return to the refrigerator, a third and last cooling, by contact with the hollow arbor, at the portion nearest the refrigerator, which portion is always cold from the conductible properties thereof.

According to Fig. 1, the automatic regulator (auto-expansion apparatus) is arranged in the evaporator. It comprises substantlallya delivery pipe 30 for. the liquid refrigerant. This pipe rotates or turns with the evaporator. It is connected with the annular space 28 which, in the hollow shaft, encompasses the pipe 14 and which is on the other hand in communication with the fixed pipe 26 of the condenser.

The end of pipe 30 carries a sliding head 31, perforated along its axis with a passage which 1s extended by a pipe 45. This pipe is immersed constantly in the ring which the liquefied gas forms in the evaporator. This prevents any projection of liquefied gas into the gaseous medium of the evaporator.

A slid ng rod 42 is contained in the pipe 30. It 1s guided therein by thestuds 43 and by its enlarged head, on which the head 31 rests.

Th1s head is perforated with passages 44,

metrically opposed to the pipe 30. The said cup is provided at the bottom with a hole 35. The weight of the mass 31 and that of the :1" connecting the central perforation of head a cup are so chosen that the mass is heavier than the empty cup, whereas, on the contrary, the weight of the cup full of liquid 36 leads the liquefiedegas into a collecting receptacle 37, loosely mountedon the hollow arbor and counterbalanced in such a way as not to turn with the'rotor. From said receptacle, the liquid falls either through a spout or a pipe 39, into an eccentric trough 40, from which it is expulsed by centrifugal force. It escapes through the opening 41 and .falls into cup 33 during the whole period of rotation.

In certain cases the refrigerant might be fed'directly into the eccentric trough, without passing through the medium of receptacle 37, by disposing the tube 36 in such wise that it is fixed in the liquid in rotation, by a suitable balancing arrangement.

In any case, when the mass 31 has allowed too much liquid refrigerant to pass, the scraper 36 leads such excess liquid into the cup 33 whose weight becomes predominant and under the action of centrifugal force causes the mass 31 to diminish, or even stops completely, the afllux of liquefied gas coming from the condenser.

If, on the contrary, said li ufied gas arrives in too small quantity, t e contents of the cup no longer counter-balances the action of mass 31 and allows it to predominate in order to disengage the outletofthe return of the liquefied gas. practice, there is furthermore estabhshed automatically a running range proportionmg exactly the section of the return orifice of the hquefied gas with the production of the machine, thus regulating with precis 10n the cycle of circulation of gases and llquids. v

Up on stopping of the machine, the cup 33 empties completely through the hole 35,1and y reason of the under pressure existing in the condenser and of the cessation of centrifugal force, themass 31 slides freely on the tube 30 and disengages the orifice thereof. Equilibrium therefore becomes established automatically between the two chambers constituting the refrigerator and the condenser. Referring to Fig. 5, the automatic expalnding regulator does not turn with the hollow arbor but is' fixed on the stationary collecting receptacle 37. The cup 33, whose bottom is provided with theoutlethole 35, is placed beneath the discharge orifice of tube or spout 39, at the extremity of a rocker arm 32a. Said rocker arm, which is pivoted on '37 carries at its opposite extremity, a mass 31a which car ,riesa pointed, rod regulating the flow orifice ID of the liquefiedgas in the refrigerator.

The compressor 10 described in connection with Figs. 1 and 3 is composed of two cylinders connected in tandem which are subjected to the action of the control eccentric, whereas the pistons 12, connected together by braces i 42, form an assembly which oscillates about a shaft 43' of casing 7. The two-cylinders canfurthermore be cast in a single piece or assembled after casting.

Referring to Fig. 4, there is therein shown, an embodiment in which the pistons 12 become displaced under the action of eccentric 13 in cylinders 11, accordingly assembled and the whole of which is articulated ;on the shaft 43. p p t In machines now in use, the housing suspended on the motor arbor undergoes, during the irregular work of compressing the gas, in spite of its counter-balancing weights and the disposition of the cylinders, a rocking which is extremely detrimental to the output, which rocking is due, firstly, to the neutral point of the cylinders during which the c'ounter-ba'lancing weights tend to fall a certain distance, and subsequently to the irregularity of the quantity of gas which is then retained by the cylinders at each revolution. This rocking can continue, by accumulated oscilla-- tions, up to the point of driving the counterbalancing weights in the rotation of the apparatus.

In order to overcome these disadvantages and to insure stability of the counter-balancing weights and the invariability of the quantity of gas retained in the cylinders at each compression we addto the housing 7 an iner-. tia stabilizing flywheel 44"- loosely mounted either on the hub 45 of said housing as shown or even on the motor arbor. Said flywheel is -of suitableweight and constitutes with its rim an inertiamass which does not become displaced until it is set in motion by an exterior force independent thereof. In said flywheel is provided a notch or groove 46 which is penetrated by one or more lugs or fingers 47, of rigid or elastic character, which are fixed to the housing. These elements are disposed in a way so as to leave a certain amount of play between the flywheel and th casing in the direction of rotation.

A flywheel 44 analogous to 44 is preferably disposed in the refrigerator near the counter balanced member 37 'to damp out the oscillations thereof;

As soonas a rocking of the housing or the counterbialancedmember 37 takes place. the

lug which it carries-abuts against the extremity of the groove and the inertia of the flywheel by opposing amplification of such rocking immediately reestablishes complete stability at the first contact or after a very small number of decreasing oscillations.

Our improved. rotary refrigerating machine, as hereinbefore described, is remark able ,for its regularity of operation, its stability, its simplicity, its safety in operation and its output with respect to machines now known in theart.

While we have disclosed what we deem to be the preferred forms of our device, we do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be many changes made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of our invention as comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described our invention what we eccentric. having a passage in cooperative relation with the evaporator through the interior of the hollow shaft and periodically presenting its discharge opening to the intake ports of the compressor.

2. In a rotary refrigerating machine of the type described, a condenser, an evaporator, a hollow shaft common to both said condenser and evaporator, a pendulous weighted crankcase mounted upon the hollow shaft in the condenser, a compressor pivoted to the said crankcase by a single shaft, an eccentric upon the hollow shaft to directly drive the compressor, said eccentr c having a passage in cooperative relation with the evaporator through the interior of the hollow shaft and periodically presenting its discharge opening to the intake ports of the compressor.

3. In a rotary refrigerating machine of the type described, a condenser, an evaporator, a hollow shaft common to both said condenser and evaporator, a. pendulous weighted crankcase providing a bath of oil mounted upon the.hollow shaft in the condenser, a compressor in the crankcase, an element on the hollow shaft to drive the said compressor,

means for separating the liquefied gas and the oil by centrifuging in the condenser, said hollow. shaft having a passage for the return of the purified liquefied gas towards the evaporator, a valve in the latter passage, a leakage eup whereinto the liquefied returned gas to the evaporator flows, and means for providing cooperation between this cup and the said valve.

a circumferential compartment in the conliquefied gas flowing to the evaporator and means providing cooperation between this cup and the said valve.

5. In a rotary refrigerating machine of the type described, a condenser, an evaporator, a hollow shaft common to both said condenser and evaporator, a pendulous weighted crankcase providing a bath of oil mounted upon the hollow shaft in the condenser, a compressor in the crankcase, an element on the hollow shaft to drive the said compressor, 'means for separating the liquefied gas and the oil by centrifuging in the condenser, said hollow shaft having a passage for the flow of the liquefied purified gas towards the evaporator, a valve at the discharge end of this latter passage, a pendulous weighted receptacle mounted upon the hollow shaft in the evaporator, a stationary radial tube opening, on the one hand, into the said pendulous receptacle and, on the other hand, toward the internal circumference of the evaporator, an overflow means for the said vessel, a leakage cup fed by the said overflow, and means for providing cooperation between the said cup and the said valve.

6. In a rotary refrigerating machine of the type described, a condenser, an evaporator, a hollow shaft common to both said condenser and evaporator, a pendulous weighted crankcase providing a bath of oil mounted upon the hollow shaft in the condenser, a compressor in the crankcase, an element on the hollow shaft to drive the said compressor, means for separating the liquefied gas and the oil by centrifuging in the condenser, said hollow shaft having a passage for the flow of the liquefied purified gas towards the evaporator, a valve at the discharge end of this latter passage, a radial tube turning with the hollow shaft and extending this same passage up to the circumference of the evaporator, a pendulous Weighted receptacle mounted upon the hollow shaft in the evaporator, a stationary radial tube opening, on the one hand, into the said receptacle and, on the other hand, toward the internal circumference of the evaporator, an overflow for the said receptacle, a circular trough fed-by this overflow, said circular trough having a discharge orifice at the circumference thereof, a leakage cup placed opposite this orifice, a, radial support integral with the hollow shaft to guide the said cup and means for securing it to the valve.

7. In a rotary refrigerating machine of the type described, a condenser, an evaporator,

a hollow shaft common to both said condenser and evaporator, a pendulous crankcase mountedupon the hollow. shaft in the condenser and providing a bath of oil, a compressor in this crankcase, an eccentric upon the hollow shaft to directly drive the compressor, said element having a passage in cooperative relation with the evaporator through the interior of the hollow shaft and periodically presenting its discharge orifice in front of the intake ports of the compressor,

the crankcase of the compressor having a compartment, a scraper projecting toward the internal circumference of the condenser,

an overflow and an intermediate emptying tube for the said compartment, the rotary portion of the condenser having a compartment, wherein opens the said intermediate discharge tube, said hollow shaft having a passage for the flow of the liquefied gas, a stationary radial tube which communicates with this passage and opens at its free end into the said compartment, a valve in the passage for the liquefied gas, a leakage cup whereinto pours the liquefied gas returning to the evaporator and means for cooperatively connecting this cup to the said valve.

8. In a rotary refrigerating machine of the type described, a condenser, an evaporator, a hollow shaft common to both said condenser and evaporator, a pendulous weighted crankcase mounted upon the hollow shaft in the condenser, a compressor carried by this crankcase, an element upon' the hollow shaft to drive the said compressor, a mass centered upon the hollow shaft and not capable of be ing driven thereby, and means connecting said mass to the crankcase with a certain amount of play in the direction of its rotation.

9. In a rotary refrigerating machine of the type described, a condenser, an evaporator, a hollow shaft common to both said condenser and evaporator, a pendulous weighted'crankcase mounted upon the hollow shaft in the condenser, a compressor upon the crankcase, a pendulous vessel carried by the hollow shaft in the evaporator, a mass centered upon the hollow shaft near said weighted crank case and not capable of being driven by said shaft, a mass centered upon said hollow shaft near said pendulous vesseland not capable of being driven by said shaft, and means connecting the said mass to said vessel with a certain amount of play in the direction of rotation. I

In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures.

. MARCEL AUDIFFREN.

ALBERT SINGRUN. 

